From Lincoln to Limbaugh: Oh How The Republican Party Has Fallen

Did you catch the newly crowned leader of the Republican Party's "first address to the nation" Friday night? I am truly embarrassed for my Republican friends as to how far the party of Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt has fallen.

As I discuss in my book, The Progressive Revolution: How the Best in America Came to Be, the Republican Party began as the party of radical reform. In the Big Change Moment of the 1860s, they abolished slavery, passed the three most far reaching progressive constitutional amendments in history outside of the Bill of Rights, made sure the freedoms of the Bill of Rights would be enforced in the states, gave away millions of acres of free land to poor people, started the land grant university system, and passed the nation's first progressive income tax. Although they increasingly became the party of big business in the years afterwards, Teddy Roosevelt brought them back some of their glory by breaking up big corporate trusts, establishing a national parks system, instituting food safety measures for the first time, and establishing other reforms of the progressive era.

Sadly for the country and their party, though, Republicans have become more and more conservative in the years since. Not a single Republican House member supported Social Security, the minimum wage, or most of the other major reforms of the New Deal. Only a few remaining Northern moderates supported civil rights legislation in the 1960s, and most of those were driven out of the party when Goldwaterites and southern segregationists took over the leadership of the Republican Party in that decade.

Now they have sunk to a new low, as Rush Limbaugh has become their virtually undisputed leader. Did you see the adoring reception at the Conservative Political Action Committee Convention? The way attendees listened in rapture to every word of his 80 minute speech? The reception for Limbaugh far, far exceeded GOP presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney or that of Senate Minority Leader McConnell. As I discuss in The Progressive Revolution, Limbaugh's ugly, mocking, racist and sexist rhetoric is eerily similar to the worst right wing demagogues in American history, people who opposed ending slavery and Jim Crow, denying women the right to vote, and attacking immigrants who were not of European descent. Yet no matter how ugly or outrageous his remarks, Republicans rarely do anything to distance themselves from him, and one GOP congressman who did last year was forced to quickly apologize and beg for forgiveness. Now RNC chair Michael Steele made a half-hearted attempt to stand up to him, but he too almost immediately backed down. No matter what Limbaugh says or does, no Republican dares stand up to him because he controls their party.

Now Limbaugh has made himself crystal clear: even in the midst of the terrible economic crisis we are in, he wants the president to fail. No Republican member of Congress has condemned those remarks. That's why groups are joining together to take action and to congratulate Rush on ascending to the Republican Party's heights - by dragging it down to his level. Limbaugh says he hopes President Obama's economic plan fails, and Republican leaders have rushed to agree.

Never mind that the fate of our economy - and Americans who are suffering because of its decline - are at stake. And that siding with Rush means rooting against recovery.

The most telling thing about Limbaugh's speech is how badly he mangled the words of the Constitution. His quote was classic:

We [conservatives] love and revere our founding documents, the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. We believe that the preamble to the Constitution contains an inarguable truth that we are all endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights, among them life, liberty, freedom, and the Pursuit of happiness. Those of you watching at home may wonder why this is being applauded. We Conservatives think all three are under assault.

Yeah, you revere those documents so much you don't know which sentence is in what document. And you don't know that equality was at the cornerstone of Jefferson's Declaration. I guess that's not a surprise: conservatives throughout history have always wanted to ignore that inconvenient idea in the Declaration that was at the heart of the American idea.

Right now, it's good to be Rush. Let's let him know we're happy for him by sending a congratulations card from Americans United for Change by clicking here.

Comments

[NationalTreasure]

that the republicans are still considered a viable party is the vestige of our main stream media and a bunch of political hacks grasping at anything they can to maintain their political power

[research]

Lincoln bypasses the FED:

http://jimbernard.org/gpage16.html

[fem56]

This stuff really started with Reagan. Taxes for wealthiest were 70% and he lowered them why down to 24% I believe. Of course that was stimulative for the economy. Nixon was quite moderate. Teddy Roosevelt was progressive.

[MarioTheRetiree]

Limbaugh rants and raves about the benefits of CAPITALISM. But, either ignores or is ignorant of its rules of structure.

From everything I have read, Capitalism has some very definite rules of structure in order to function effectively for both the owner and the employee.

In the name of Free Markets and Free Enterprise, those rules of structure have been terribly violated.

For example, the free trade aspect of Capitalism calls for a fair and even playing field on the part of both nations. If one subsidizes their exports or manipulates their currency, the other will be at a severe disadvantage.

Another example, Look what Wall Street did with the mortgage market when it became a totally free enterprise with no rules, no structure, and no regulation. The excesses took a great Capitalistic mechanism and destroyed it.

FAIR MARKETS should be the catchword instead of FREE MARKETS.

[larstein]

A little perspective is in order. Lux is saying that the Gop party has gotten steadily "more and more conservative" since....1­909. In other words, for the last hundred years, the Republican party has associated itself with the worst elements of society, organized crime, racism, crony Capitalism, all the while promoting itself as the party of "Real Americans".

In the 1920's Republican politicians were active in and promoted the KKK, stole millions from the US treasury (Tea Pot Dome), and in the 1930's they simply made it their policy to ignore the suffering of the American people. Gop icons like Henry Ford and Nelson Rockefeller were doing business with the likes of Mussolini and Hitler all the way up to the advent of WWII. In the 1950's, politicians like Richard Nixon developed cozy subterranean ties to the Mafia, while the Gop advocated and promoted the Big Government military-industrial empire we now live with. And yet, the party continued its relentless march further and further to the Right. It has gone from Very-Corru­pt-and-Evi­l in 1909, to Totally-Ab­solutely-C­orrupt-and­-Evil in 2009. That's some kind of progress, I guess.

[SailFree]

"Some students at Alveda King's speech Tuesday night did not expect a strictly literal interpretation of the advertised 'life affirming choices' speech," reports Central Michigan Life, student newspaper of Mount Pleasant's Central Michigan University:

The niece of Dr. Martin Luther King spoke out strongly against abortion at her "Can the Dream Survive?" presentation in Warriner Hall's Plachta Auditorium. Some students were surprised to learn that was the topic of her lecture. Several of the about 650-person audience walked out.

"I felt a little misled personally," said Flint senior Detrone Turner, who said he thought the speech was going to be about increasing diversity.

And of course the best way to increase "diversity" is by refusing to listen to anyone you disagree with."

--J. Taranto, Best of the Web

[WinterParkMom]

Didn't you hear, his comments have now become "I want his policies to fail".

Gop'ers wont condemn the porker because deep down, all those old, white men feel the same, because a black man came out on top of the old white man, so they all want to see him fail. This so they can then point fingers and say: See? We told you that boy wasn't no good. Shoulda let the white man win.

But Obama will win. This country will be back on its feet in 2 years. How can we not believe in this? If we don't, we are doomed. The country will be back, and gop will be relegated to having a seat on the sidelines and listening to piggies snort and snuffle in the sh*t they spew.

[SailFree]

Fallen...i­n spite of Limbaugh, not because of Limbaugh.

[KillTheMessenger]

Fallen because trolls like you listen to him.

[MarioTheRetiree]

Limbaugh is a great entertainer. But, unfortunately his popular entertainment PROMOTES CLASS WARFARE. One of his greatest vehicles that he uses to promote class warfare is TAXES. But, he distorts the issue by focusing on the FEDERAL INCOME TAX and constantly pontificates that lower income and middle class taxpayers pay a very small share, if any at all.

Perhaps, Limbaugh is too wealthy to notice that:

LOWER INCOME and MIDDLE CLASS taxpayers DO PAY:
----STATE INCOME TAXES ( most states are not as lenient on low income wage earners as the federal government)
----LOCAL INCOME TAXES based on location of employment
----SOCIAL SECURITY TAXES
--------Workman"s Compensation Taxes
--------Un­employment Compensation Taxes
----SALES TAXES
----GASOLINE TAXES
----REAL ESTATE TAXES (private ownership or rental)
--------LOCAL PROPERTY ASSESSMENT TAXES
----SIN TAXES (ALCOHOL, CIGARETTE, ETC�)
----LICENSE FEES (Federal, State, County, and Local)
----SERVICE FEES charged by Local, State, and Federal Government
----FEDERAL/STATE LOTTERY SUPPORT
----USE TAXES
--------Water Service Utility Taxes
--------Telephone Taxes (local, state, and federal)
--------Electricity and Heating Fuel Taxes
--------Ca­ble/Intern­et Service Taxes
--------Toll Road Fees
--------Airport Taxes
--------Hotel Taxes
--------Car Rental Taxes
--------En­tertainmen­t Taxes (movies, restaurants, amusement parks, etc.)
--------Excise Taxes
--------Mi­scellaneou­s Taxes (too many to enumerate)

AND

Taxes paid by LOWER INCOME and MIDDLE CLASS taxpayers are REGRESSIVE.
Rates are the same regardless of income.

People who pay most of the above listed taxes supporting their communities, states and infrastructure ARE PAYING THEIR SHARE OR MORE!

[SailFree]

If the rates are the same regardless of income, they are neither regressive nor progressive, they are FLAT.

[FernandoRuiz]

Its regressive if your wage is constantly being pushed down, or you lose your job like many have in recent years. So much for conservatives protecting family values

[KillTheMessenger]

Flat like you? No way...

[surfcitysteven]

Really sailfree, this stuff is beyond you. Take a basic econ class. This last post of yours shows you really don't even understand the basics. At least learn what the terms regressive and progressive mean when they are used in "tax" context.

[montecarlo408]

Quick question: If 5% of this country owns 80% of its wealth, why should the 95% that only own 20% of the wealth pay the bulk of taxes? Don't you think that they tax contributions should be somewhat close to the wealth they horde?

BTW, if you think they aren't hording it, watch how they are fighting with all of their might to keep those UBS tax evading accounts secret.

[MarioTheRetiree]

Taxes are defined as PROGRESSIVE or REGRESSIVE based on a PERCENTENTAGE OF INCOME.

Consider the SALES TAX:

$50,000 income buys $20,000 car-pays 6% sales tax($1200)-pays 2.4% of income
$100, 000 income buys $20,000 car-pays 6% sales tax($1200)-pays 1.2% of income
-------------has a 50% less tax rate than $50,000 income
$200,000 income buys $20,000 car-pays 6% sales tax($1200)-pays 0.6% of income
------------has a 50% less tax rate than $100,000 income – 75% less tax rate than $50,000 income

Consider SOCIAL SECURITY/MEDICARE TAX:

A person earning $100,000 pays approx $8,000 or 8% rate of tax.
Since that tax is capped at approx $100,000
A person earning $400,000 pays approx $8,000 or 2% rate of tax.

[SailFree]

That's Hilarious! Limbaugh promotes class warfare! As if the entire Democratic strategy is not now based on class warfare! Hoo boy...I gotta catch my breath after that one...

[rinpochet]

So it's not class warfare when the poor and middle class are taxed to give to the rich, but it is class welfare when the rich are asked to pay their share?

I got it. Usual rethugs steal from the poor to give to the rich scheme.

[FernandoRuiz]

They pay much more actually because after taxes, the wealthy usually get some of the money they paid refunded to them by the government. They also use tax loopholes and clever accounting techniques to have these things itemized. Also groups like illegal immigrants pay much more because they are forced to pay social security taxes, and will never see the benefits of those taxes if they dont become citizens or they are kicked out of the country. As if their life wasnt bad enough, they come here for a better life, pay taxes to the government, and then are rounded up like animals and kicked out

[DIdaho]

The best part of this article is the reminder that the Republicans' arguments against Social Security, minimum wage, Child Labor laws (which after all weren't passed until 1938) put the current accusations of "socialism" to shame. The Republicans at the time were absolutely sure these things would destroy capitalism and the U.S., and all of the New Deal programs were far more radical than anything Obama's proposed.

We know the truth now, of course, despite recent pathetic attempts to alter history - the New Deal saved capitalism and the country, and virtually nobody (except perhaps Mr. Limbaugh) has any desire to return to child labor, 90-hour weeks with no overtime and the full litany of what we now regard as horrible conditions that were hailed by the Republicans of the time as "the American Way."

[AirForce Vet]

I applaud Mr. Limbaugh for gaining the leadership of this party. He is at the top of his game and standing on the pinnacle of the heap, the dung heap that is. It wasn’t a major task for him to assume this position. It was delivered to him on a silver platter. This party is in to continuous spiral fall that has been brought on by vile and repugnant undercurrents.

[sheaves]

Dear Mr. Lux


Yes, your basic premise has merit. But are you sure this statement of yours is correct?


"Only a few remaining Northern (Republican) moderates supported civil rights legislation in the 1960s"


According to this article
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/Printable.aspx?GUID={9C024F95-4ECE-424A-B5B7-0DAA3E049189}


"That's not exactly right. Bread-and-butter conservatives in Congress (as opposed to conservative writers)..­.were strong supporters of equal rights for all Americans. Although the Democrats controlled both houses of the Congress at the time, a much-higher percentage of Republicans than Democrats supported the civil-rights bill."

[MyNameIsJames]

Yeah so What?

There is only one thing that Progressives and Democrats need to discuss and that is how to DESTROY the Conservative movement in this nation.

[Ganapati]

Actually not, conservatives (as in the "GOP")have their days counted. What we are witnessing is the self destruction of an anachronistic, corrupt institution based on delusion.
They can cry, scream and kick all they want, blame whoever they will for their self caused demise and irrelevance, anoint as many corrupt, vulgar and stupid talk show hosts as they want.
Perhaps now the Democratic Party can become the "conservative" party and a new force of progressivism can emerge, a true left.

The world cannot continue in the path to a self fulfilled apocalyptic prophecy guided by delusional fanatics, opportunistic manipulators, plutocrats and their scared sheep.

[TakeNoNeoConPrisoners]

"an anachronistic, corrupt institution based on delusion."

You forgot nihlistic, i.e.,

-government is not the solution but the problem.
-wants Obama to fail, i.e, the country to fail.
-believe that gov't does not have a role in helping its own citizens b/c that would be "socialism­."

[krocklin]

Of course Bush steered a course opposite to Lincoln's and Teddy Roosevelt's, but the contrast with the cartoonish Limbaugh is starker in a superficial way.

[edtheengineer]

Unfortunately, the Shrub could divest you of your rights and lock you up for the rest of your life by merely snapping his fingers and declaring you an "enemy combatant". All El Blimpo can do at this point is just snap his fingers (but the republiCANTs are working on getting him the rest of other powers.)

[Dayahka]

I don't quite agree. The fall was from Lincoln to Bush, from a president who fought to keep the nation together based on its founding principles to a president who actively sought to destroy the nation as well as the principles on which it was founded (for example, thinking about canceling the First Amendment; see the recently released memos from the Justice Department). With the Bush administration, the Republican party hit rock bottom and failed. Now, the party is trying to rise from the ashes, re-group and find its voice and direction. Now, though I agree with Letterman that Limbaugh is a bonehead and a chump and a blimp, he is far better than Bush; he can at least utter an intelligible English sentence; he can also entertain; and I doubt that he would support a lot of what Bush did or wanted to do. So, Rush is a vast improvement over Bush Junior, and at least gives the Republicans something to hang on to as they try to revive themselves. Some of them may even re-discover the Republicanism of Rockefeller or William F.--urbane­, sophisticated, and secular.

[Balloonman]

LIMBAUGH is one of those messenger broadcasters, charismatic-- if you are on his wavelength--gifted to make impact and bright enuf. Intelligence, using it making connections off twists of unbalanced logic according to what serves his anti social vendetta of some sort it seems. Narrow to what's good for the people really isn't! Power to the money and let it rule us foremost like the God given guts and scrambling it took to get it!! Righteous enuf for anybody who surely knows CEO severance and banker pay is the goal, high scale achievement, the American dream. And proud of it! Oh, guide us to preordained Corporatist morality for Corporatist morality outcomes. Worthy is facile wordplay off anti-people ideological mistaken perspectives and notions. Likely, Limbaugh himself emerged early from inbred social connection imbalances and dysfunction. What do you bet he holds his family of listeners in contempt if not himself. At the altar of his pompous horseshit. Yet he beguiles. Haranguing factoid negatives his followers want to believe. Berating effective government of we-the-people as not democracy, but a social contract operation too close to all-for-the people to be trusted. Socilaism. Limbaugh's system can't work right when every faction is given voice at the table. Not when money machinery is priority ahead of rights of most workers. Who ironically, against their interests, make his popularity possible. Super to the rest of us infidels. Limbaugh. Bless them who advance the tripe he preaches.